New Breed of EAC Freight Professionalsfeaffa.com/sites/default/files/files/EACFFPC...
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New Breed of EAC Freight Professionals Growing Prosperity Through Trade Message from the Board President Mathieu Bizimana, FEAFFA President e East Africa Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate is the key intervention aimed at professionalising the Clearing and Forwarding industry. e program was designed by the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA) which has implemented it in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda since 2006. Due to the importance of the program to the region’s development, TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) came on board to boost the implementation of the program through providing financial and technical support; a move that we are thankful for because it has helped us consolidate and fast track the programs gains remarkably. For instance, in the last one year alone, more than 1,000 clearing agents have completed the course across the region. is has provided a big boost towards professionalising the industry, and contributed to making the EACFFPC a mandatory requirement for licensing beyond 2013. In fact, some of the Revenue Authorities made strides towards this desire by demanding for evidence of training or at least admission to EACFFPC classes before issuing licenses for operation as customs agents. We believe it’s from the smooth working relationship between the trained agents and the Revenue Authorities that made it easy for the Rwanda Revenue Authority to impose this interim licensing condition to all agents. We implore other revenue authorities to come up with related initiatives. Together, we shall all be winners. All this would not be possible without the efforts of a powerful team of stakeholders; first the FEAFFA board and all the National Associations for their leadership role, the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC) for the continued oversight in the implementation of the training program, the revenue authorities for their continued support both materially through provision of training facilities and personnel. Special appreciation goes to the program coordination team for their diligent work on a daily basis. e federation is also grateful to the individual clearing and forwarding companies that have allowed their staff to enroll for training with many going an extra mile of paying for their employees. Message from the Executive Director e EACFFPC program Briefs Uganda National Training Coordinator: Anne Kibiringe In Uganda, the EACFFPC curriculum implementation process began in 2006 and efforts bore fruition in February 2008 when the first course started. In January 2013, the Uganda Revenue Authority opened its doors to the largest intake since inception of the EACFFPC program. A record 102 students registered and attended the UFFA run EACFFPC program, at Kololo Senior secondary school. Other notable successes in Uganda include a colorful graduation ceremony for 100 students in May 2013 as well as the launch and registration of 400 clearing agents at the first ever EACFFPC border class at the Malaba-Busia border. So far, a total of 430 clearing and forwarding agents have been trained. e aim is to train 400 by the end of 2013 in order to attain the critical mass. Kenya National Training Coordinator: Carol Watila Kenya has training centers in Mombasa and Nairobi. A joint border class has just been launched at the Kenya-Uganda Malaba border. ese classes have attracted clearing and forwarding agents from Busia and Malaba. At least 400 clearing and forwarding agents have signed up for the classes. Kenya has two intakes per year that run for six months, in January and in July. e program attained 1600 trained agents by the end of 2012. e aim in 2013 is to train 800 more agents in order to reach the critical mass. In order to build training capacity, two training of trainers (ToT) workshops have been carried and 12 new trainers have been trained on the new curriculum, bringing the total number of trainers to 40. Tanzania National Training Coordinator W.N. Waryuba In Tanzania, the EACFFPC program is implemented in two centers at the Institute of Tax Administration (ITA) under Tanzania Revenue and TAFFA Training Centre (TTC) under Tanzania Freight Forwarding Association (TAFFA). In Tanzania, about 1000 agents have been trained since the program started. e training program has been well received in Tanzania and will achieve its critical mass of 1200 agents by the end of 2013. ere are over 100 students who were recruited at the beginning of 2013. Rwanda National Training Coordinator: Daniel Zitunga e Programme started in 2008 with most owners of clearing and forwarding companies enrolling. Government support boosted the training aſter the adoption of the East Africa Customs Management Act in 2009. is had a requirement that each clearing and forwarding firm should have at least two members of staff with a diploma or certificate in customs training. Rwanda Revenue authority has emphasized on this requirement for any agent looking to be licensed in 2013. A pool of 19 trainers have aided in the achievements in trained figures. So far 241 agents have undertaken the training, meeting the required critical mass. ere is however potential to get 500 more clearing and forwarding agents into the program. Burundi National Training Coordinator: Christella Munyana Burundi has a critical mass of 160 trained agents to be achieved by the end of 2013. 66 clearing and forwarding agents had undertaken the training program by the end of 2012 e first intake in 2013 attracted 21 clearing and forwarding agents. In the second intake, more than 60 agents have applied and began the training course. ere are efforts to get a third intake in order to ensure that Burundi surpasses the desired critical mass of 160 trained agents by the end of 2013. e federation has remained steadfast in its endeavor to professionalise the clearing and forwarding industry through training. e East Africa Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate (EACFFPC) training program is key. Our efforts to achieve the critical mass by end of this year remain on track with major boosts in Uganda and Kenya. e programme has benefitted a lot from the publication of the training materials and their translation into French; processes that are currently underway. We also had a fruitful media sensitization workshop in Arusha targeting Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda with immense results. I further wish to take this opportunity to remind all Customs agents across the region that the requirement to have at least two trained staff or directors per company for licensing continues to draw nearer. e EACFFPC high level policy meeting comprising of the Commissioners of Customs and the President of FEAFFA and Chairpersons of all national associations gave a deadline of end of 2013. is will surely become a reality and I therefore urge you to ensure your company has reached their threshold come the end of this year. I would not be realistic if I ended without thanking all the people that have continued to play a key role in the implementation of the EACFFPC programme. First and foremost the FEAFFA Executive board, National Associations and the East Africa Revenue Authorities for their support at regional and national level. e CIC and National Curriculum Committees for their oversight function. We are also grateful to the EACFFPC program coordination team and my team at FEAFFA secretariat for the daily coordination. e Secretariat of national associations have remained champions of the programme and I owe them my gratitude. Above all, I wish to thank Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) for the continued financial and technical support towards this training program. Without a generous, committed and understanding partner like TMEA, it would not have been possible to be where we are. ank you all for sharing and living our dream of transforming our industry into a profession. We are solidly on course because of you, I salute you. John Mathenge, FEAFFA Executive Director
Transcript of New Breed of EAC Freight Professionalsfeaffa.com/sites/default/files/files/EACFFPC...
New Breed of EAC Freight Professionals Growing Prosperity Through Trade
Message from the Board President
Mathieu Bizimana,
FEAFFA President
The East Africa Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate is the key intervention aimed at professionalising the Clearing and Forwarding industry. The program was designed by the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA) which has implemented it in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda since 2006.
Due to the importance of the program to the region’s development, TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) came on board to boost the implementation of the program through providing financial and technical support; a move that we are thankful for because it has helped us consolidate and fast track the programs gains remarkably.
For instance, in the last one year alone, more than 1,000 clearing agents have completed the course across the region. This has provided a big boost towards professionalising the industry, and contributed to making the EACFFPC a mandatory
requirement for licensing beyond 2013. In fact, some of the Revenue Authorities made strides towards this desire by demanding for evidence of training or at least admission to EACFFPC classes before issuing licenses for operation as customs agents.
We believe it’s from the smooth working relationship between the trained agents and the Revenue Authorities that made it easy for the Rwanda Revenue Authority to impose this interim licensing condition to all agents. We implore other revenue authorities to come up with related initiatives. Together, we shall all be winners.
All this would not be possible without the efforts of a powerful team of stakeholders; first the FEAFFA board and all the National Associations for their leadership role, the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC) for the continued oversight in the implementation of the training program, the revenue authorities for their continued support both materially through provision of training facilities and personnel.
Special appreciation goes to the program coordination team for their diligent work on a daily basis.
The federation is also grateful to the individual clearing and forwarding companies that have allowed their staff to enroll for training with many going an extra mile of paying for their employees.
Message from the Executive Director
The EACFFPC program BriefsUgandaNational Training Coordinator: Anne Kibiringe In Uganda, the EACFFPC curriculum implementation process began in 2006 and efforts bore fruition in February 2008 when the first course started. In January 2013, the Uganda Revenue Authority opened its doors to the largest intake since inception of the EACFFPC program. A record 102 students registered and attended the UFFA run EACFFPC program, at Kololo Senior secondary school.
Other notable successes in Uganda include a colorful graduation ceremony for 100 students in May 2013 as well as the launch and registration of 400 clearing agents at the first ever EACFFPC border class at the Malaba-Busia border.
So far, a total of 430 clearing and forwarding agents have been trained. The aim is to train 400 by the end of 2013 in order to attain the critical mass.
KenyaNational Training Coordinator: Carol Watila Kenya has training centers in Mombasa and Nairobi. A joint border class has just been launched at the Kenya-Uganda Malaba border. These classes have attracted clearing and forwarding agents from Busia and Malaba. At least 400 clearing and forwarding agents have signed up for the classes.
Kenya has two intakes per year that run for six months, in January and in July. The program attained 1600 trained agents by the end of 2012. The aim in 2013 is to train 800 more agents in order to reach the critical mass.
In order to build training capacity, two training of trainers (ToT) workshops have been carried and 12 new trainers have been trained on the new curriculum, bringing the total number of trainers to 40.
TanzaniaNational Training Coordinator W.N. Waryuba
In Tanzania, the EACFFPC program is implemented in two centers at the Institute of Tax Administration (ITA) under Tanzania Revenue and TAFFA Training Centre (TTC) under Tanzania Freight Forwarding Association (TAFFA).
In Tanzania, about 1000 agents have been trained since the program started. The training program has been well received in Tanzania and will achieve its critical mass of 1200 agents by the end of 2013. There are over 100 students who were recruited at the beginning of 2013.
RwandaNational Training Coordinator: Daniel ZitungaThe Programme started in 2008 with most owners of clearing and forwarding companies enrolling. Government support boosted the training after the adoption of the East Africa Customs Management Act in 2009. This had a requirement that each clearing and forwarding firm should have at least two members of staff with a diploma or certificate in customs training. Rwanda Revenue authority has emphasized on this requirement for any agent looking to be licensed in 2013.
A pool of 19 trainers have aided in the achievements in trained figures. So far 241 agents have undertaken the training, meeting the required critical mass. There is however potential to get 500 more clearing and forwarding agents into the program.
BurundiNational Training Coordinator: Christella Munyana
Burundi has a critical mass of 160 trained agents to be achieved by the end of 2013. 66 clearing and forwarding agents had undertaken the training program by the end of 2012
The first intake in 2013 attracted 21 clearing and forwarding agents. In the second intake, more than 60 agents have applied and began the training course. There are efforts to get a third intake in order to ensure that Burundi surpasses the desired critical mass of 160 trained agents by the end of 2013.
The federation has remained steadfast in its endeavor to professionalise the clearing and forwarding industry through training. The East Africa Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate (EACFFPC) training program is key. Our efforts to achieve the critical mass by end of this year remain on track with major boosts in Uganda and Kenya.
The programme has benefitted a lot from the publication of
the training materials and their translation into French; processes that are currently underway. We also had a fruitful media sensitization workshop in Arusha targeting Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda with immense results.
I further wish to take this opportunity to remind all Customs agents across the region that the requirement to have at least two trained staff or directors per company for licensing continues to draw nearer. The EACFFPC high level policy meeting comprising of the Commissioners of Customs and the President of FEAFFA and Chairpersons of all national associations gave a deadline of end of 2013. This will surely become a reality and I therefore urge you to ensure your company has reached their threshold come the end of this year.
I would not be realistic if I ended without thanking all the people that have continued to play a key role in the implementation of the
EACFFPC programme. First and foremost the FEAFFA Executive board, National Associations and the East Africa Revenue Authorities for their support at regional and national level. The CIC and National Curriculum Committees for their oversight function. We are also grateful to the EACFFPC program coordination team and my team at FEAFFA secretariat for the daily coordination. The Secretariat of national associations have remained champions of the programme and I owe them my gratitude. Above all, I wish to thank Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) for the continued financial and technical support towards this training program. Without a generous, committed and understanding partner like TMEA, it would not have been possible to be where we are.
Thank you all for sharing and living our dream of transforming our industry into a profession. We are solidly on course because of you, I salute you.
John Mathenge,
FEAFFA Executive Director
New Breed of EAC Freight Professionals Growing Prosperity Through Trade
Milestones achieved by the EACFFPC training programme in the EAC
Call : +254 020 2684802 0738 150673 • 0738 165318
This is a joint training program of the East Africa Revenue Authorities (EARAs) and the national freight forwarding associations through FEAFFA. It is supported by TradeMark East Africa
The course is offered to individuals already practicing or intending to practice in the clearing and forwarding industry throughout the East African region.
From 1st of January 2014, Revenue Authorities in the EAC will require each Clearing and Forwarding company to have at least two trained members of staff as a condition for licensing. The June 2013 intake is therefore your last chance to get on board before the deadline and avoid getting out of business.
Application forms may be downloaded from the website at www.feaffa.com. For more information and submissions please see the contacts below.
The East Africa Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate
Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations
The Crescent Rd, Off Parklands Road Opposite MP Shah HospitalP.O Box 22694-00400, Nairobi, KenyaEmail: [email protected]
The East Africa Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate (EACFFPC) is a joint training programme of the East Africa Revenue Authorities (EARAs) and the national freight forwarding associations affiliated to the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA).
The programme started in 2007 and is intended to equip trainees with necessary skills, competencies and values desirable in Customs and Freight Forwarding.
TMEA support to FEAFFA has enabled the program to achieve the following Milestones:• Establishmentofninenew
training centres• Trainingof2,886Clearing
and Forwarding agents• RevisionofCurriculumand
training materials• DeploymentofsixTraining
Coordinators to boost training coordination capacity
• Trainingoftrainers(ToT)to build training capacity
• Developingandcommissioning of E-learning platform
• Implementationof Certificate of Competence (CoC)
• Publicityforthetraining programme in the EAC
• Introductionofclasses targeting border post agents
• Adoptionofacentralized code of conduct for the region which is now part of the materials
• Developmentofthe programme sustainability strategy
One of the most critical milestones that the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Association (FFEAFFA) accomplished in collaboration with TradeMark East Africa was the development of an electronic system containing information about the existing rules, procedures and documentations required for trading within the EAC.
Now commonly referred to as the E-Portal, the system is set to significantly cut down costs and time of doing business in the region by facilitating clearing and forwarding agents with timely and relevant information on taxes, duties payable and required documentation on the trade of specific products into and out of East Africa
“The E-portal will contain each country’s trading information on the clearance of selected goods, including agricultural products such as tea, coffee, cotton, as well as pharmaceutical, petroleum, machinery and plastic products,” explained Edward Ichungwa, a senior manager at TMEA.
The E-portal will be critical as a point of reference for exporters and importers within the region, providing traders with the required information without delay so that they can move their goods swiftly with lesser barriers.
According to Edward Ichungwa, Director Single Window at TradeMark East Africa, “This automated system is useful for application of various trading
Trade in the EAC freight forwarding industry to be eased with a new online portal
licenses and submission of trade documents to the various government agencies by the clearing and forwarding agents. “ According to TMEA, the current database will continue to be populated and constantly updated with the relevant information to adequately serve the interests of traders.
“It will play an important role in reducing corruption as traders can access whatever information they require at the click of a mouse or on their mobile phones, eliminating the need to pay unnecessary charges fixed by a corrupt official at the border,” said John Mathenge, the FEAFFA Executive Director.
Participants of the FEAFFA Training of Trainers on the 29th April 2013.
(From left to right) Mr Richard Kamajugo, URA Commissioner Customs, Mr Silas Kanamugire, TMEA Director Trade Facilitation and Transport, Mr John Mathenge, FEAFFA Executive Director and Mr Mathieu Bizimana, FEAFFA President during the Uganda Graduation Ceremony.
Uganda graduates pose with the URA, FEAFFA and National Association representatives at their graduation ceremony on 4th April 2013. 100 graduates received their EACFFPC certificates.
Graduates with their certificates after the first EACFFPC graduation in Burundi. Seated in the middle is Mr. Kieran Holmes, the Commissioner General of Burundi Revenue Authority.
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